==============+=======
Districts. |Number.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~+~~~~~~~
Sahâranpur | 4
Agra | 5
Etah | 1
Morâdâbâd | 46
Cawnpur | 5
Fatehpur | 1
Allahâbâd | 54
Lalitpur | 4
Benares | 82
Jaunpur | 113
Ghâzipur | 5
Ballia | 74
Gorakhpur | 183
Basti | 524
Azamgarh | 3,462
Lucknow | 32
Râê Bareli | 1
Sîtapur | 3
Faizâbâd | 3,193
Gonda | 132
Bahrâich | 6
Sultânpur | 3,216
Partâbgarh | 7
Bârabanki | 25
+~~~~~~~
Total | 11,178
==============+=======
Gaur; Gauda. [410]—One of the five divisions of the Northern Brâhmans
which make up what is known as the Pancha Gauda, as distinguished from
the Pancha Dravira or Southern Brâhmans. There has been much
controversy as to the origin of the name. The tribal traditions all
point to the ruined city of Gaur or Lakhnauti, in Mâlda, which was once
the capital of Bengal, whence the story runs that they emigrated to the
neighbourhood of Delhi in the time of the Pândavas. By another account
they emigrated to Bengal on the invitation of Râja Agarsen, the
eponymous founder of Agarwâla Banyas. The objections to this account of
their origin are two-fold. In the first place their supposed emigration
from east to west reverses the usual course of the Brâhmanical
movements, and, secondly, it is difficult to understand how they could
have passed through the intervening Brâhmanical tribes, such as the
Sarwariya and Kanaujiya. This is not avoided by Mr. Colebrooke’s
supposition that Gauda was the name of a division of the country in the
neighbourhood of the modern Patna. And still less probable is Sir G.
Campbell’s theory, that the name is derived from their residence on the
banks of the Ghâghar, a tributary of the Sâraswati, the lost river of
the Western India desert. Perhaps the most plausible explanation is
that of General Cunningham, who writes: [411]—“These apparent
discrepancies are satisfactorily explained when we learn that Gauda is
only a sub-division of Uttara Kosila, and that the ruins of Srâvasti
have actually been found in the district of Gauda, which is the Gonda
of the Maps. I presume therefore that both the Gauda Brâhmans and the
Gauda Tagas must have belonged to this district originally, and not to
the mediæval city of Gauda in Bengal. Brâhmans of this name are still
numerous in Ajudhya and Jahângîrâbâd, on the right bank of the Ghâghra
river, in Gonda, Pâkhapur, and Jaisni, of the Gonda District, and in
many parts of the neighbouring division of Gorakhpur.” Our last Census
Returns show the Gaur Brâhmans most numerous in the Meerut Division,
and in decreasing numbers as we come through Rohilkhand and the lower
Ganges-Jumna Duâb.
[Divisions of the Gaur Brâhmans.] 2. The divisions of this branch of
the Brâhmans are very intricate, and the tribe itself is, as a rule, so
illiterate and unintelligent, that it is very difficult to ascertain
their tribal constitution. Dr. J. Wilson [412] divides them into eleven
divisions:—
(1) The Gaudas or Kevala Gaudas, who are said to be Yajur Vedis, and
to have their head-quarters at Hardwâr.
(2) The Adi Gaudas or “original” Gaudas, who follow the white Yajur
Veda, and are by sect Smârttas, Sâktas, or Vallabhachâryas.
(3) The Suklwâla, who are a branch of the Adi Gaudas and come from
Jaypur. Of these there are two sections—Ojha and Joshi.
(4) The Sanâdhya, who have been separately enumerated at the last
Census and form the subject of a special article.
(5) The Sri Gaudas or “honourable” Gaudas, of which one division is
called Tamboli, and deals in betel leaf, and another Adi Sri
Gauda, found at Delhi, Mathura, and Brindaban.
(6) The Gûjar or Gûrjjara Gaudas.
(7) The Tekbâra Gaudas.
(8) The Chamar Gaudas, who serve the Chamârs as priests.
(9) The Hariyâna Gaudas, who take their name from the country of
Hariyâna, in the Hissâr and Rohtak Districts of the Panjâb.
(10) The Kirtâniya Gaudas, who wander about these Provinces and
Râjputâna as singers, reciters, and players upon instruments.
(11) The Sukal Gaudas, who live by mendicity, accepting alms from
Brâhmans, but not from Kshatriyas, Banyas, or people of other
castes.
3. According to Sir H. M. Elliot the chief Gaur tribes in these
Provinces are the Adi Gaur, Jugad Gaur, Kaithal Gaur, Gûjar Gaur,
Dharam Gaur, and Siddh Gaur. A list obtained from a member of the tribe
at Mirzapur makes them out to be divided into Gûjar Gaur, Dadhicha or
Dâima, Sikhwâl, Pârikh, Khandelwâl or Adi Gaur, and Sâraswata. Of these
the Dadhicha are classed by Dr. Wilson [413] among the Gujjara
Brâhmans; the Pârikhas or Purohita Parikhas are the family priests of
the Râjas of Jaypur, in whose territory they are especially abundant.
“They claim to be descended from Vasishtha. When his hundred sons with
their wives were destroyed through the jealousy of his rival
Visvamitra, a son named Sava fell from the womb of one of these wives,
who had Parâsara as his son, the father of Vyâsa.” The Sârasvatas,
again, are generally classed as distinct from the Gaur, and have been
so recorded at the last Census.
[The Dadhicha.] 4. Adopting this classification, it may be noted that
the Dadhicha of these provinces claim descent from Dadhicha, the son of
Atharvan, who was son of Brahma. The story runs that Dadhyang or
Dadhicha had a wife, Satya Prabha, who was left pregnant when her
husband died. She tore her womb open, and taking out the child, which
she laid at the foot of a pîpal tree, joined her husband in heaven.
After some time she remembered her child and prayed to Mûl Devi or
Sâkti, who promised that the child should be incarnated out of a human
skull. From being laid beside the pîpal tree he came to be known as
Pippalayana, and begot twelve sons, who were the ancestors of the
twelve gotras of the tribe. Each of these sons had twelve sons, and
from these one hundred and forty-four persons are named the sections
(al). The following are the gotras and als as far as it has been
possible to ascertain their names:—
(1) Gautama gotra with sections—Patodya; Palod; Nahawâl; Kumbhya;
Kanth; Badâdhara; Khatod; Badsaran; Bagadya; Bedwant; Banrasidara;
Ledodya; Kakarah; Gagwâri; Bhuwâl; Disiyel; Masya; Mang.
(2) Vatsa gotra with sections—Ratâwa; Koliwâl; Baldawa; Rolaryân;
Cholankhya; Jopat; Ithodya; Polgala; Nasara; Namawâl; Ajmera;
Kukarân; Tararâyân; Abdig; Didiyil; Musya; Maug.
(3) Bharadwâja gotra with sections—Pedwâl; Sukl; Malodya;
Asopadyaki; Barmota; Indokhwâl; Halsara; Bhatalya; Godiya;
Solyarin.
(4) Bhârgava gotra with sections—Inaryân; Patharyân; Kasalya;
Silrondya; Kurarawa; Jagodya; Khewar; Bisâwa; Ladrawân; Baragarân;
Kadalawa; Kaprodya.
(5) Kavacha gotra with sections—Didwâryân; Malodya; Ghawarodya;
Jatalya; Dobha; Murel; Maurjawâl; Sosi; Gotecha; Kudâl; Tretawâl.
(6) Kasyapa gotra with sections—Choraida; Dirolya; Jamawâl;
Shergota; Rajthala; Barawa; Balaya; Chaulankhya.
(7) Sândilya gotra with sections—Rarawa; Bediya; Bed; Gotharawâl;
Dahwâl.
(8) Asraya gotra with sections—Sulwâl; Yajrodya; Dubarya; Sukalya.
(9) Parâsara gotra with sections—Bhera; Parâsara.
(10) Kavala gotra with section—Chipara.
(11) Gorga gotra, with section—Talachhya.
(12) Mamraka gotra of which the sections have disappeared.
[The Gûjar Gaur.] 5. A list from Mirzapur gives the gotras and sections
(al) of the Gûjar Gaur as follows:—
(1) Kausika gotra with sections—Jakhimo; Kurakyo; Tadukyo;
Karadolya; Surolya; Modharyân; Sarsu; Guhadra; Katasala;
Jirawalya.
(2) Kausika gotra with sections—Chahadhota; Gobalya; Nagavalya;
Kaitha; Kalaitha; Tetrawa; Nilsanda; Kethuryân; Dudu.
(3) Vasishtha gotra with sections—Paghlida; Dughahasya; Khuraryân;
Akodra; Jhujhrodyân; Rihdoliya; Pandurya; Sankhwat; Achraundya;
Laiwâl; Poparudyân; Rachhtinari; Khiyaryân; Phaguryân.
(4) Sândilya gotra with sections—Nausalya; Pachaswa; Gâlswa;
Jajpura; Nanera; Kathoriwâl; Sânpa; Jhamkolya; Karauriwâl;
Kusumbhiwâl.
(5) Kausika gotra with sections—Bhairjwâl; Kânoilya; Naugra;
Dughdolya; Gumtaryân; Adharûpa; Jodha; Harkhahi; Jastaryân.
(6) Bharadwâja gotra with sections—Pisa; Gauryân; Jagala; Raurinja;
Bapraundya; Lâd; Kalbadra; Silaura; Jigaryân; Chitaryân;
Gugauryân; Pijuryân; Kajaura; Gauhandya; Bagda.
(7) Gautama gotra with sections—Bhawânlya; Jajada; Bijaryân;
Thinksara; Bilovaryân; Pandaita; Dikhat; Bilu; Umtaryân;
Mandovasya.
(8) Kasyapa gotra with sections—Bararaila; Rewal; Gunwâl;
Sanbharya; Bajagya; Thariwâl; Lohdolya; Aimalya; Sajiganwa;
Dewalya; Jâjandya; Matâryân; Rajdolya; Rihdolya.
(9) Vatsa gotra with sections—Kântra; Bachh; Kaimalya; Chatsuwa;
Dodwadra; Vyâs; Ghil; Gutaradya; Paiwâl; Chanwadra; Didwaryân;
Chhichhâwata; Palhat; Chulhat; Suraulya; Rainhata; Sarsuda;
Khinwasara; Chhadak; Bagada.
(10) Atrima gotra with sections—Bardundhya; Bagherwâl; Akodra;
Karaudiwâl; Priyalauja; Babherwâl; Dabhadra; Kunjaudra;
Ichharmarua.
(11) Muhrila gotra with sections—Surtaryân; Bhutâryan; Dhamauntya;
Thâwalya; Lohawa; Bamhaurya; Kundera; Gadaryân; Raiswâl; Kunjodra;
Muth; Pipalya.
(12) Parâsara gotra with sections—Khataud; Daigya; Pahadra;
Narâryân; Kuchila; Baresura; Kachraudya; Dewalya; Dobarhatta;
Gumataryân.
(13) Garga gotra with sections—Gudnâda; Kacharya; Ladaryân; Laiwâl;
Bhangdolya; Ukhairwâl.
[Marriage.] 6. Gaur Brâhmans are, as a rule, endogamous, but they are
singularly liberal in their views as contrasted with the Kanaujiya, and
as in Bihâr, where the groups consist of limited numbers, they have
commenced to intermarry with the Sâraswata. In other respects they
practise the ordinary rule of exogamy common to other Brâhmans. When
the bride is introduced into the house of her husband there is a solemn
confarreatio rite known as dûdhabhâti. Their domestic ceremonies are of
the usual orthodox type.